POLITICAL
THEORY
AND LAW
WEEK 3
POLITICAL THEORY
AND LAW
Week 3 & 4
POWER, AUTHORITY AND
LEGITIMACY
POLITICAL THEORY
AND LAW
POWER
POLITICAL THEORY
AND LAW
POWER
Ability
Pressure
Force
Control
Subordination
Constraint
Dependence
POLITICAL THEORY
AND LAW
Power
- Negative Power
- Positive Power
POLITICAL THEORY
AND LAW
Three ‘dimensions’/’faces’ of power
1. Decision making
POLITICAL THEORY
AND LAW
Three ‘dimensions’/’faces’ of power
1. Decision making
2. Agenda Setting
POLITICAL THEORY
AND LAW
Three ‘dimensions’/’faces’ of power
1. Decision-making
2. Agenda-setting
3. Thought Control
POLITICAL THEORY
AND LAW
Is politics defined by power
relations?
POLITICAL THEORY
AND LAW
AUTHORITY
POLITICAL THEORY
AND LAW
AUTHORITY
Consent
Morality
Will
Autonomy
Rationality
Freedom
Right
Compliance
POLITICAL THEORY
AND LAW
Authority - Kinds of Authority
1. Traditional Authority
POLITICAL THEORY
AND LAW
Authority - Kinds of Authority
1. Traditional Authority
2. Charismatic Authority
POLITICAL THEORY
AND LAW
Authority - Kinds of Authority
1. Traditional Authority
2. Charismatic Authority
3. Legal-rational Authority
POLITICAL THEORY
AND LAW
Is there a difference between power
and authority?
POLITICAL THEORY
AND LAW
LEGITIMACY
POLITICAL THEORY
AND LAW
Beetham, Legitimation of Power, 1991
3 ways through which power is legitimized:
• Accepted and established principles
• Shared beliefs of the government and the governed
• Consent on the part of governed
POLITICAL THEORY
AND LAW
Liberal democracy:
An example of legitimate
government?
• Constitutions
• Elections
POLITICAL THEORY
AND LAW
Critics of Liberal Democracy
• Ideological Hegemony
POLITICAL THEORY
AND LAW
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EDxmzCVFLu8
POLITICAL THEORY
AND LAW
Critics of Liberal Democracy
• Ideological Hegemony
• Legitimation Crises